Sister Maren Renda is serving in the Canada Halifax Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Happy New Year!

Hi All,

The
rest of Christmas was good. Dinner at President Leavitt's house was
good. The assistants and a few of the missionary couples were there. One
of the couples is the Thatchers. Elder Thatcher lived in the Avenues
for awhile. He said that he designed the organ in the chapel on Second
Avenue, not the one that we attended, but the one farther east. I want
to say it's near I Street, but I can't remember. Maybe you know him? He
plays the piano, so he played some Christmas carols and we all sang
along.

Something interesting about Canada is that they celebrate
Boxing Day on December 26. Many people have work off that day, at least
in Nova Scotia. We did a lot of contacting and walking around that day,
but the city was pretty quiet all day.

I recently read through all of the General Conference talks
from October. Those addresses are so powerful! I received many answers
and direction from the Lord through those talks and I felt the Holy
Ghost testify these are the words of the Lord, spoken by His servants on
the earth today. I loved that so many of the talks focused on
strengthening our testimonies and becoming truly converted to the Lord. I
know that this is one of the reasons the Lord asked me to serve a
full-time mission. I feel my testimony being strengthened each day as I
study and pray and testify. As I continue to strengthen my testimony and
act in faith, my heart will be changed and my conversion will deepen. I
can feel it happening now and I am excited for the days ahead.

President Leavitt has extended a challenge to all of the
missionaries to read the Book of Mormon in a month. We are starting on
January 1. I am so excited to do this! I love the Book of Mormon. I
finished it last week (finally! I started it before Oakcrest and was
supposed to finish it before the end of the summer...better late than
never, right?). I know that it is true! I learn so many things each time
I read it. Particularly as a missionary, I have received so many
answers to prayers through the Book of Mormon. It's amazing what we can
learn when the Spirit is the one teaching us. I would like to extend the
challenge to read the Book of Mormon to you and everyone in the family
as well. :) I would love to hear the experiences you have as you read
the Book of Mormon in a month.